After a long winter, nice summer heat and sunshine refresh us all. But enjoying the warm weather safely is important for health. For this reason, dogs also need special care in the summer months. In this post, we will talk about some tips that will help keep your lovable puppies safe in the heat. Let’s get started.
Dog Care In Summer
Protect your dog from sunburns
If your dog’s coat is fine, he’s at risk of sunburn, and dogs don’t always seek shade in sunny weather. This increases the risk of sunburn. Even the top of their noses can get sunburned, especially for dogs with sensitive noses, this is very important.
White-haired dogs, short-haired dog breeds, and dogs that have recently had a haircut also tend to be tops for sunburn. In order to protect dogs from the sun’s rays, it is necessary to keep them at home during the hottest hours of the sun. If you wish to protect your dogs from the harmful effects of the sun, you can apply safe high factor sun lotions produced for children to your dog’s ears.
Sun exposure in hot weather can happen to anyone, but it can also happen to dogs. The most vulnerable dogs are very small dogs, older dogs and short-nosed dog breeds. Hot weather can cause extremely rapid breathing in dogs in these sensitive groups, and even a severe collapse caused by the enlargement of the peripheral veins, called collapse, and the collection of blood here. If you see this type of symptom in your dog, we recommend that you take it to the veterinarian immediately. To help your dog fight sunstroke, we recommend that you create enough shade in your garden, have a kennel in the garden, and not give your dog too much exercise when it’s hot outside.
Keep your dog hydrated
Needless to say, you should give your dog plenty of fresh drinking water, especially during the summer months. If you wish, you can also provide your dog with fresh and clean water by acquiring a water dispenser that will make your work easier. You can click on the dark colored area to take a look at the water dispenser types.
Do not leave the canned dog food you use outside in hot weather. Otherwise, it can spoil very quickly and attract flies. Keeping it closed in the refrigerator will solve this problem. As you constantly monitor your pet’s body weight, continue to monitor it during the summer months. For some dogs, eating less dog food and losing weight can create a variety of problems.
Have some summer fun with your dog
On long summer days, your dog will always want to play outside. In these long summer days, there are many ways to enjoy the summer months.
Swimming with Dogs
Most dogs are known to love water. If you have a small children’s pool in your garden, you can have your dog use the pool as a very good way to cope with the heat. Apart from that, large pools or seas are also excellent places for your dog to cool off. A dog life jacket, if your dog is a bit weak at swimming, is good. When you allow your dog to enter the sea or pool, do not neglect it. Make sure your dog can easily get out of the water. In addition, some dogs are afraid of water or just want to play in shallow water. So if your dog seems hesitant or insecure about getting into the water, don’t force it. But if he immediately jumps into the water, the puppy will begin swimming perfectly. Then you can enjoy watching him enjoy this experience. Just remember to watch out for excessive head shaking and ear scratching after immersion in water. This might be an ear infection symptom.
Walking with Dogs
If your dog is fond of walking, go for a lot of walks in the summer. Considering that all dog owners often take their dogs out for a walk during the summer months, it is necessary to consider the possible reactions of your dog or other dogs, their approach to each other. If you want to be in control while performing this walk, using a dog collar will give you the control that will make your job easier. Just be careful that long walks on the rough road can tire your dog’s legs. Try to take short walks with your dog at first and gradually increase your walking distance. Remember to stop to rest and hydrate your dog often.
Key tips to keep dogs safe while outside in the summer
- Give your dog plenty of fresh water.
- When your dog is sleeping outside, make sure it is in the shade.
- Check their paws often. Because pitch or tiny pebbles may be stuck between the floor cushions due to the heat.
- If your dog likes to lie on the grass and exercise in your garden, do not spray the lawn with pesticides.
- Do not forget to get a dog collar with your name and address in case the dogs that like to roam more are lost on hot summer days.
Bathing dogs in the summer
Some of the most common questions asked by dog owners are the convenience of bathing a dog, what should be considered when bathing a dog, and how to bathe dogs. Some dog breeds need to be bathed frequently, while others need to be bathed every six months, or even once a year for some dog breeds kept in gardens. The frequency of bathing your dog depends on the dog’s breed, coat and the environment in which it lives.
Do Dogs Like To Be Bathed?
Most dogs do not like this process until they are used to being bathed. It is their owners who will make them remember this process with good things. When the dog is irritable during the bath, when he exhibits good behavior and movement, you should reward him by giving some dog rewards. Your tone of voice and movements during the bathing process can cause the dog to become irritable. For this reason, you need to be as calm as possible.
The bad behavior you will do while bathing the dog will cause him not to like the bath, which will negatively affect the next bathing process. The better you treat your dog during bathing, the more it will return to you in the next bathing period. While you are accustoming your dog to the bathroom, allowing him to take the bath occasionally and watch the routine work you do will have a positive effect during the dog bath. If you have a puppy, you do not need to bathe it. Although dog cleaning seems appropriate once a month in the summer, extras can be made to cool and not smell. However, it is important for the health of the dog to extend this period further in the spring months. It would be a good choice to not bathe dogs in winter, as it might cause pneumonia.
How Do You Train Dogs to Bathe?
After sharing this information with you, let’s come to the main part. You should not use harsh words to the dog while bathing the dog, and you should not frighten him or make him angry, otherwise, this practice may turn into an ordeal for your dog. When speaking to them, your tone should be calm and reassuring. In other words, when giving commands to them, you need to address and speak the way you like, not the way you speak. You can relax the dog by giving him soft massages to keep him calm in the bathroom.
Shampoo is very important in the dog washing process. If you use soap or other substances, this can damage its fur structure and skin. The paws are the place where dogs are most sensitive during washing. As water touches their paws, they may want to miss their paws with sudden reflexes. While washing the paws, it should be descended from top to bottom slowly and by massaging. You may experience a negative reaction or behavior by taking the paw suddenly and washing it. The best way to choose a dog shampoo would be to go to the vet. Because each dog breed has different hair and skin structure. Do not use shampoos intended for humans. This can cause skin irritation and hair loss in the dog.
The temperature of the water is also important when bathing the dog. When bathing the dog, the water temperature should neither be hot nor cold, otherwise the dog may react abruptly. Before you start bathing the dog, preparing your materials will help you and your dog during this application. The availability of necessary materials such as dog shampoo, brush, prizes and towels will shorten the washing time. Before washing the dog, plug the dog’s ear holes with dry cotton to prevent water from getting in. If you have a straight-eared dog, you can skip this step. However, be very careful not to get water in their ears. It will be better for you and your dog to leave the head and face area for last.
It is necessary to introduce the dog to water and shampoo first and get him used to this situation. Shampoo should not get into the dog’s ears, mouth, nose and eyes during the shampooing process. You need to do the rinsing process carefully and seriously. If the hair of dogs is long and thick, shampoo residue may remain, and you should rinse with plenty of water and carefully to ensure that this does not happen.
After bathing the dog, you can love it with enthusiasm, play games and even give him dog treats. This behavior will make him feel like he’s doing something good and will give you an edge in the next bath. You can dry the dog with a towel or by controlling the temperature setting with drying tools such as a blow dryer. If the dog is afraid of the sound of the blow dryer, you can complete the process by combining it with a towel and dog comb. After the drying process, the dog may remain damp and feel uncomfortable. Instinctively, you may want to dry it by making it sit on the carpet, sofas, grass or soil, we advise you to keep yourself under control.
So those were some key points for dog care in summer. Just be mindful of them and you can have a wonderful summer with your best friend.